Mathew Peters

Mathew Peters grew up in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and began cooking as a teenager with his family. As a senior in high school, he was inspired to cook professionally after seeing the TV show Great Chefs of the World. At 19, Peters enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu in Pittsburgh. Upon graduation, he moved to Naples, Florida, where he worked for the Ritz Carlton in the infamous Dining Room, among many other notable chefs.

After years of honing his skills in Naples, he set his sights on New York City and took a job at Adour Alain Ducasse. Then in 2009, he was offered a position at Thomas Keller’s Per Se, where he worked his way up from commis to chef de partie, and eventually to sous chef. Shortly after his last promotion, Keller offered Peters the opportunity to be sous chef at his flagship The French Laundry in Yountville, California. After two years on the West Coast, in 2012 Peters was promoted again, this time to executive sous chef at Per Se, where he oversaw and managed the staff and created a new menu each day. His intense focus and attention to detail allows him to flourish in such a notable three-Michelin star kitchen, inspiring younger cooks to do the same.

In 2017, he became the first American chef to win the 2017 Bocuse d’Or Gold Medal for the United States. He is the perfect addition to this year’s Gala—which honors the late Paul Bocuse.